Every parent has dealt with their child's
tantrum. It's never easy to deal with - most times, you're not sure
how. We talked to Thomas Hobson, director of the Child Life Department
at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. Here's what he had to say.

"It doesn't matter where it happens or whether there's build up to it
or not, a child's temper tantrum is a thing of parents' nightmares.
They can be embarrassing. They can be frustrating. They can (and will)
test your patience.

During the big blow out temper tantrums, it is tough to keep your
composure and not get sucked into your child's whirlwind of emotion. You
find yourself being pulled in, and before long, the whole situation is a
screaming match. Each side continues to escalate until it's nothing but
chaos.

How do I know all of this? Well, my confession is that despite all of
my "kid smarts", I've been pulled into these same situations. Then
again, haven't we all been roped into our children's temper tantrums.
Here are a few tips to help keep you cool when your child is losing it:

Watch with an outsider's eyes: When you are watching someone
else's child throw a tantrum, do you get mad? No, you usually feel bad
for the parent, and that's about it. Learn to give yourself the leeway
and to remember that you're the one in charge.

Don't yell: It is a normal gut reaction to want to yell in
these situations. However, think about what happens when someone yells
at you. Typically, we go on the defensive and get ready to yell back.
This will only cause your child to dig their heels in and fight harder.

Know when to walk away: After watching a tantrum, even if
you're calm, there comes a point when you know you are going to lose it.
Learn to watch for your own cues, and walk away until you cool down.
Make sure your child is in a safe place, and simply step into the other
room.

Don't use sarcasm: Young children simply don't understand
sarcasm. It only serves to confuse them. However, they will figure out
that you're making fun of them, and that will be hurtful.

Break the cycle: Sometimes, children get so wrapped up in
their fit that even if they want to stop, they don't know how to do it.
Instead, they just keep going on with it. Introduce something new that
they'll be interested in. Then, when everyone is calm, you can go back
and talk about everything. During a recent tantrum, I told my child that
I wanted to show them a new game I had on my phone. The tantrum, which
had been going on for 30 minutes, stopped immediately. After a few
minutes, we came back and talked about it."